Morning Moments

JAMES Devotional Outline with Notes (cont)

I. Wisdom's Wealth 1:1-27
A. Comes Through Suffering - "scattered" 1:1
B. Comes Through Suffering "testing of your faith" 1:2-8

The word "temptation" in the Greek is what we call a neutral word which may be good or bad; refer to either a test of faith or a solicitation to evil. The context of its usage will determine how it is to be accurately translated or understood. I have chosen to use the word "suffering" here because of the context. These believers had been scattered by great persecution, which to me is a form of suffering. When testing comes (the trying of our faith), temptation follows (to doubt God, take the easy way out, accept the alternative to God's will, etc).

I think of Jesus in the Garden who prayed, "Father, if it be thy will, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not my will but thine be done." I am not presenting any kind of argument here regarding His temptation but simply illustrating that when testing comes for us all, the enemy will present a way out IF we will accept it and THAT is the temptation part of the testing. Consider:

The Encounter - "testings"

1:2. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

Are you CRAZY? Should I read this: Be happy when you suffer? Be thrilled when you are thrown into or fall into times of trial, testing, temptation, tribulation? GIVE ME A BREAK! I would suggest that you not incorporate this into your presentation of the "Good News" booklet or you may not have so many "decisions".

But is that what this is really saying? I don't think so! Then what in heaven's name is it saying? Okay! Look at it this way:

You are overweight and realize that it is not good for you, so you decide to drop a few pounds by going to the gym and working out. It has been awhile, if ever, since you exercised like this so you may as well count on some muscle pain. You sweat and ache and strain. You are determined though and you refuse to succumb to the pain because you know that the outcome will be worth it all. You complete your objective, everybody tells you how good you look, you feel much better, and you discovered that you can do it and that you did do it. GET IT? GOT IT? GOOD!

It is not the pain of the suffering or the "scattering in persecution" or the spiritual agony, or any of that we are joyful about, but it is the result of it, the outcome, the benefit, for we know that God is working all things together for good to those of us who love Him and are called according to His purpose, which is to conform us to the image of His Son (Rom 8:28).

I have never known anyone in his/her right mind who would say IN REALITY when going through serious stuff, "Oh, I'm just thrilled about this suffering for Jesus." NOT! It is painful but it will be productive.

Okay, super saint, maybe you are the exception! I'm not! I cry sometimes it hurts so bad.

The Exercise - "worketh"

1:3. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Going with it, with the understanding and assurance that whatever befalls us is to benefit us is 90% of the victory over it.
When I was nineteen, I enlisted into the United States Air Force. At the time, I weighed less than 120 pounds. I was sent to Lackland Air Force Base for Basic Training. I did two things: 1) Exactly what I was told, and 2) Kept my mouth shut.

Years later, when my sons enlisted into the Air Force, I told them to remember two things: 1) Do exactly as you are told, and 2) Keep your mouth shut. But I added, "If a Training Instructor gets in your face and says things that you don't like, just remember that the government is paying you to take it." In the same way, when things unpleasant come your way in life, keep the right attitude about them and your reward will come later. The grade ALWAYS comes AFTER the test!

Those are principles I have lived by in my adult life. When I became a Christian, I learned just how true they were. 1) God demands complete and unquestioned obedience (not partial), and 2) Don't complain when you don't understand for there is plenty of time for understanding later.

What we are "going through" now is "working" a far greater pleasure for us in the future than the pain we might be suffering now.
I understand that most Christians will argue about this, but it is why most of us are so rebellious and immature. We gripe and complain about every pain. NO PAIN, NO GAIN!

The Endurance - "lacking nothing"

1:4. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Would you rather be flabby or fit? Physical exercise burns calories and so does spiritual exercise spiritual calories. It is the "fire" that burns the dross from the gold and proves its purity. It is the process of developing patient endurance of faith that matures us and proves our worth in Christ. There is NO deficiency in Him! I must discover that all my insufficiency becomes sufficient in His sufficiency. It is "tribulation" that builds in us patient endurance, and according to Paul in Romans 5, the whole process we can rejoice in because we want God to be glorified - "we rejoice in our abiding confidence in the glory of God."

We don't know this by nature; it is a growth process and it why Paul wrote also in Romans 5 that "experience builds hope (abiding confidence) and hope will never leave us ashamed because God has poured out His love in our hearts."

I like to think of it this way: I was never a good swimmer because my mom almost drowned when she was sixteen and always had a fear of the water. When we went to the beach, she would say, "Have fun, but don't go near the water." As a result, I was determined that our kids would be good swimmers.

I remember once when one of our boys was taking swimming lessons he kept telling the swim teacher he had to go see his mom "for just one minute." Finally, his mom said, "If you don't get back in that pool I'm gonna take you home and wear you out." To which he replied, "Take me home and wear me out." Sometimes either way is painful! We learn one way or another.

The Equipping - "wisdom"

1:5. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

What does "wisdom" have to do with all this "trial" stuff? Everything! It is wisdom that helps us to understand how to apply the principles of God to our trials and tests.

I have used the illustration of the Tunnel of Horrors before but it might be good to remember it now. We I was a kid there was a Tunnel of Horrors at the fair. It was a low rolling roller coaster as I remember which ran through a tunnel of skeletons, and screams, and all kinds of scary sights and sounds. Nothing in there could hurt you or even touch you, but it could make you hurt yourself. The "wise" thing to do was to sit there and enjoy the ride and hear everybody else scream but to understand that you are perfectly safe through it all.

So if you have any questions about your well being in the midst of adversity, just settle your mind that you are in the hands of God! He will never leave you nor forsake you as His child. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean to your own understanding."

The Encouragement - "ask in faith"

1:6. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering...

Honest to God, can you believe Him? Do you believe Him? Will you believe Him? Millions have proven Him true in faith and experience throughout time, so what's your problem? Were the Jewish boys in the lions den safe? Was David saved from Goliath? God beyond the Scripture and asked Christians through the corridors of time. Ask some you know personally. Ask yourself! What is the last test He brought you through that you didn't think you would get through?

Ask Him for wisdom but DON'T waver in your asking! Believe Him! Trust Him! He says He will not scold you for asking for it when you realize your don't have it and will trust Him for it. What are you waiting for? JUST DO IT!

Wisdom is a good thing and no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly. He doesn't waste wisdom on the wayward and the wicked.

The Exception - "wavereth"

...For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Here is the clincher! Be STEADY and STEADFAST! A few years ago I was with some high school kids I taught at an amusement park. I never like high rides, especially that whirled me round and round. As long as I can stay on the ground as with the Tilt-a-Whirl, I'm fine, but not up in the air.

These characters talked me into some kind of ride that threw me up in the air and toss me about with nothing underneath me. I was just holding on to some rope or something. I hated it, but I was determined that the only way I would fall was if I pulled that whole ride with me. I held on for dear life and would NEVER have let them know how terrified I was. I held on for dear life. I clung tenaciously to the rope.

Sometimes, the wisdom of God is all that holds us on and up! Sometimes it is the practical and personal confidence that "underneath are the everlasting arms". That is the understanding of God's wisdom that He gladly offers to those who ask believing and that all others lack. According to the text, they remain:

Unsteady
Unanswered
Unstable

BLESSINGS!